Picking mechanism for looms



Allgl 1950 H. M. VAN ALSTYNE Erm. 2,517,454

PICKING MECHANISM FOR Looms Filed March l, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l gli ' 2Miiy f/ y] Aug 1 1950 H. M. VAN ALSTYNE ETAL 2,517,454

PICKING MECHANISM FOR Looms Aug. 1, 1950 H. M. VAN ALsTYNE 'ETAL2,517,454

, PICKING MECHANISM FOR Looms Filed March 1, 1949 3 sheets-sheet 3Patented Aug. l, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-1er".N

PICKING-MEOHAN ISM FR LOOMS Howard M. Van Alstyne and Walter Bell,RensselaeiglN. Y., assignors `to F. C. Huyck & Sons, Rensselaer, N. Y.,a corporation ofNew York .sparsamer/rasen 1, 1949, serial No. 78,928

(ci. iss-142) 5 Claims. l

kOur invention .relates to improvements in picking mechanisms .forllooms and particularly to improvements in mechanisms of the .generaltype disclosed in our U. S. .LettersPatent No. 1,966,704, dated July 17,1934.

The aforesaid `Letters rPatent discloses a de vice which is actuatedbythe .energyin a rotating ily wheel for `pulling `the picker .strapswhich are `attached to, the picker sticks, and the operation of which iscontrolled, in part, by a reciprocating sleeve moving in -synchronisinwith the lay ofthe loom,.and, Ain part, by a timing device actuated bythe pattern mechanism of the loom. Whether the reciprocating sleeveeffects or does not effect `an operation of the picking mechanism .iscontrolled by said timing dev-ice.

One of the `objects of our invention is `to provide a picking mechanismof .the general type disclosed in our Letters Patent aforesaid in vwhichthe various elements are `of an improved design, cooperate in diierentmanner, and 4may be easily adjusted to `function in smooth, preciselytimed relation to each other with a `minimum of shock and Wear.

AAnother object is to .provide a picking mechanism which maybe soadjusted that there is substantially no lost 4motion between the variouselements, with the result that shock, which other wise would occur dueto the taking up of vthis motion when the mechanism is actuated, ise1imi .A

nated.

.Another object is to provide an improved means for actuating thepicking mechanism and an improved `means cooperating therewith for controlling the timing thereof. A

Another object is t provide an improved,` readn ily accessible means forprecisely adjusting the interval during which the clutch elements areheld in engagement.

A further object is to provide 'a picking mechanism having animproved'cam 'and cam follower combination `or assembly in which the followers,except during the actual picking motion, are stationary.

We accomplish these objects by means of the novel elements and thecombinations and arrangements thereof described below 'and illustratedinthe accompanying drawing in which--u Figgl is a plan view of ourdevice:

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof` withportions broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 1 in the plane 3-3 Fig. 4 is aside elevationview of our` device.;

Fig. 5 isa Aside elevation View of two Of our deadjusted position bymeans of the set screw 19.`

2 vices, one of lwhich .is disposed at each loom;

Fig.. 6 is a section ofFig. 1 in the broken plane 6-5 but with thetiming control mechanism "in ene `or nie" p the non-picking position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan View with portions broken away showing amodication of our de? vice; i Fig. 8 is a section of Fig. -7 in theplane 8--8`;` and lFig. 9 is an enlarged` section in the ,plane `8=8 ofFig. 7 showing morefclearly a detail also shown in Fig. c. VReferringtothe drawings- 1 i Our device comrisesa stationary, horizontal shaft I`vvl'iich is rigidly secured in the upriglits` 2 on the base s b'ymeansof the bearing-like caps d and cap screws 5.

Rotatably mounted on bearings `6` on the shaft l is a comparativelyheavy 'fly wheel 'l which, as illustratedhas a, V-shaped,'circumferentially-extending groove 8 therein adapted to receive thebelt 9 driven by thelmot'or Il] (see Fig. 5). vThe inner 'surface IIofthe rim of the .fly vwheel is fru'sto-conicai and forms the'femaledriving. ele-1` ment of a clutch. Both 'slidably vand rotataloly`mounted on the shaft I is the male, frusto-coni-` cal, driven `elementl2` of the Clutch having circumferentially-spaced recesses in theirujstoconical surface thereof in which 'are securedfric;-` tion blocksI3. On the side opposite the fly vvl'i'eel,` the element l2 .is providedwith a comp'aratively` large hub I4, the radius of curvature of' thepee` ripheral surface l5 ci which increases uniformly from the tcpthereof when the parts are 4in the non-picking position, shown in 3, tothebottom. Secured to the top of the hub i4, when this position, .is thepicker 'strap I6 which fis adapted to be wound partially aroundftheVsur-` face i5 ofthe hub when the clutch element I2 is rotated in thedirection of the` arrow, `shown 'in l1 which normally holds theseelements out; of"

cooperative relation. The distance which the element l2 may move awayfrom the element l` is .adjustably limited by means ofthe collar AIB`which is threaded on the shaftl and secured in Surrounding the .shaft Iyin spaced relationi 3 thereto and adjustably secured to the end of thehub i4 on the element I2 by means of a plate and cap screws 2i, is a cam22 having two, circumferentially-spaced, arcuate, raised surfaces 23 and24 which are coplanar and normal to the axis of the shaft I.

Slidably but non-rotatably mounted on the shaft I is a sleeve 25 havingoppositely-disposed arms 25 and 27 thereon extending towards the cam 22;and rotatably mounted in the ends of these arms, are the followerrollers 28 and 29 adapted to cooperate with the cam 22. Pivotallymounted at 34 on the sleeve 25 are two oppositely-disposed links 32 and33 which are connected together by the upwardly-extending, clevis-likeelement 3| to form a timing element which controls the operation of thepicking mechanism. The right hand ends of the links 32 and 33, as viewedin Figs. l, 2 and 4, are semicylindrical, for a reason which will beexplained below, and the left hand ends of the links are alsoillustrated as semicylindrical and coaxial with the pivotal mounting 33.The axis of the semicylindrical portions at the right hand ends of thelinks and the axis of the pivotal mounting'SIl are parallel and, whenthe timing element is in picking position are coplanar with the axis ofthe shaft I. The links 32 and 33 and the element 3I can rotate freely ina counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 4, but rotationin a clockwise direction beyond the position shown in Figs, l, 2 and 4is prevented by the bottoms 36 of the recessed portions 3'! in thesleeve 25.

, Our preferred mechanism for swinging the links 32 and 33 upwardly, orin a co-unter-clockwise direction about their pivotal mounting 3D, isillustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, as is also our preferredmeans forming anadjustable stop for` limiting the movement of the sleeve 43. However, wehave illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 4, 5 and 6l a modication thereof. inwhich a horizontal, shaft 3T' parallel to the shaft I is mounted in a.

bearing. on top of theasleeve member 25. Secured to one end of the shaftis the upright arm 38 which is adapted to be connected, by means of arod 38' (see Fig. 5), to the pattern mechanism of theloom or to meanscontrolledby the pattern mechanism of the loom for rocking the shaft 31in its bearing. The shaft 31 extends between the branches of theclevis-like element 3I, as best shown in Fig. 2 and, between thebran-ches is provided with a laterally-extending projection 39 which,when the arm 3811s moved to the position shown in Fig. 6, is adapted tooooperate with and swing the .element 3i and the links 32 and 33 in acounter-clockwise direction about the axis of the mounting 39, as shownin Fig. 6 and in dotted outline at 32 in Fig. 4. A helical spring 43,lighter than spring I'I, surrounding the shaft I is compressed betweenthe collar I8 and the sleeve 25 and normally holds the sleeve 25 againstthe adjustable collar 4l which is secured to the shaft I by means of aset screw 42.

vSlidably mounted on the shaft I is a second sleeve 43 which is normallyheld against the adjustable collar 44, secured to the shaft I by the setscrew 45, by means of the helical spring 46 which is compressed betweenthe sleeve 43 and the adjustable collar 41 which is threaded on theshaft I and secured in adjusted position by means of the set screw 48.

Pivotally mounted on the sleeve 43 at 49, is the lever or bell crank 50;the axis of the pivotal 4 mounting being horizontal and coplanar withthe axis of the shaft I. The lower portion of the bell crank 5E! isbifurcated and straddles the sleeve 43 so that there are arms 5I and 52thereof on each side of the shaft I. Rollers 53 and 54 are pivotallymounted in the extremities of the arms 5I and 52, respectively, and areadapted to cooperate with the adjacent semicylindrical ends of the links32 and 33, as shown in the drawings. The bell crank 53 is adapted tooscillate about its pivotal mounting 49 on the sleeve 43 and thisoscillating movement is effected by the eccentric mechanism, representedgenerally by the numeral 55 in Figs. l, 2 and 4, which is driven fromthe main shaft 56 of the loom in synchronism with the lay of the loom(not shown). The length of the eccentric rod 51, which is pivotallyconnected to the bell crank 53 at 58 may be adjusted by means of the nut59. Thus, as the bell crank 52 is oscillated by the eccentric mechanism,the common axis of the rollers 53 and 54 may oscillate in a cylindricalsurface indicated by the dot and dash line 50 in Figs. 2 and 4, so

. that, at times, the common axis vof the rollers 53 `and 54 is belowthe axis of the shaft I, and

at other times, above the axis of theshaft I.

`When in operation, it is to be understood that the bell crank is beingconstantly oscillated in synchronism with the oscillating movements ofthe lay of the loom. When the links 32 and 33 are in the position shownin solid lines in Fig. 4, which is the picking position, the downwardmovement of the rollers 43 and 54 brings them into rolling conta-ct withthe semicylindrical ends of said links. This contact of the rollers withthe semicylindrical ends of the links 32 and 33 forces the sleeve 25 tothe left against the compression of spring 40, and the rollers 28 and 29which lie against, or substantially against, the raised surfaces 23 and24 of the cam move the driven clutch element I2 against the com-4`pression of spring I1 into frictional engagement with the driving clutchelement '1. When the normally non-rotating, driven element engages therotating driving clutch element it is immediately picked up thereby androtated in the direction of the arrow, shown in Fig. 3, and the pickerstrap I6 is wrapped around the surface I5 of the hub I4 to impart aquick and rapidly but smoothly accelerated movement to the picker stick54 to which it is attached at 65 (see Fig, 5).

The rollers 28 and 25 continue to bear against the flat raised surfaces23 and 24 of the cam, and hold the clutch elements in engagement, untilthey drop abruptly into the spaces 5I and 62 between said surfaces assaid cam is rotated with the driven clutch element. The timing of thedrop can be precisely adjusted by loosening the cap screws 2l, rotatingthe cam, and tightening said screws to hold the cam in adjustedposition. When the rollers drop olf the raised surfaces of the cam theclutch elements areimmediately disengaged by the spring Il, and thedriven element is rotated back Ato its nonpicking position by the pullexerted on the picker strap by the tension spring 53 attached to thepicker stick on the opposite side of its pivotal mounting BB from thepoint of attachment of said strap. The return movement of the drivenelement is limited by the stop 66.

As illustrated in the drawings, the rollers 53 and 54 are on dead centerwith the semicylindrical ends of the links 32 and 33 and thekdrivenclutch element is then in full engagement with the driving clutchelement. However, as the rollers 53 7 elementrotatably and slidablymounted on said shaft :and adapted to slide into frictional engagementwith said rst element to be driven thereby; a picker strap actuated bysaid second element; a cam on said second element having two,circumferentially-spaced, at, coplanar surfaces thereon; a first sleeveslidably but non-rotatably mounted on said shaft; a pair of rollersrotatably mounted on said sleeve and positioned to cooperate with theAflat surfaces of said cam for moving said second element intoengagement with said first element; a first spring cooperating with saidsecond element and normally holding it out of engagement with said firstelement; a second vspring cooperating withsaid sleeve and biased to urgesaid rollers away from said cam; means-,for adjustably limiting themovement of said second element away from said rst element and themovement of said rollers away from said cam; a lever; means pivotallymounting said lever on said shaft with the end of one arm thereofadjacent said sleeve; means for oscillating saidlever in synchronismwith the lay of said loom; a link pivotally mounted on said sleeveadapted to swing into positive cooperative relation with said arm forsliding saidsleeve axially of saidshaft and effecting an engagement ofsaid clutch elements when said arm moves in one direction only; andmeans adapted to be actuated by the pattern mechanism of said loom forvswinging and holding said link out of cooperation with said arm.

3. -In a loom picking mechanism of the character described having ashaft, a driving clutch element rotatably mounted thereon, a drivenclutch `element both slidably and rotatably mounted on said shaft andhaving a picker strap attached thereto, and a spring cooperating withsaid driven element and biased normally to hold it out of operativeengagement with said driving element; the combination with meansslidable on said shaft -and cooperating with said driven element forsliding it into engagement with said driving element, of mechanism foractuating said slidable means comprising a lever, a pivotal mounting forsaid lever on said shaft adapting said lever to oscillate through a zoneextending each side of the axis of said shaft; mechanism lforoscillating said lever continuously, when said loomis in operation, intimed relation with the lay of said loom; a link cooperating with saidslidable means; a pivotal mounting therefor adapting said link, to swinginto and out of a position in the. path of movement of said lever; meansfor positively holding said link in said path when said lever is movingin one direction only to effect an actuation of said slidable means; andmeans adapted to be controlled by the pattern mechanism of said loom forcontrolling the position of vsaid link.

,n 4. In a loom picking mechanism of the character described comprisinga shaft, a driving clutch. element rotatably mounted on said shaft,

a driven clutch element rotatably and slidably mounted on said shaft tomove into and out oi' engagement with said driving element, a pickerstrap actuated by said driven element, a spring cooperating with saiddriven element and normally maintaining it out of engagement with saiddriving element; the combination with mechanism slidably mounted on saidshaft and cooperating with said driven element for moving it intoengagement with said driving element, of means for actuating saidslidably mounted mechanism comprising a lever, a, mounting therefor onsaid shaft providing both a sliding movement of said lever axially ofsaid .f shaft and a rocking movement thereof about an aXis at rightangles to the axis of said shaft, means adapted to rock said lever intimed relation to the movements of the lay of the loom, means on saidmechanism, including a mounting therefor adapting said means to moveinto a position to cooperate with said lever for effecting an actuationof said mechanism by the movement of said lever, and into a position outof cooperation with said lever to prevent actuation of said mechanismthereby; and means cooperating with said last mentioned means forcontrolling the movements thereof.

5. In a loom picking mechanism of the character described comprising ashaft, a driving `clutch element rotatably mounted on said shaft,

a driven clutch element rotatably and slidably mounted on said shaft tomove into and out of engagement with said driving element, a pickerstrap actuated by said driven element, a spring cooperating with saiddriven element and normally maintaining it out of engagement with saiddriving element; the combination with mechanism slidably mounted on saidshaft and cooperating with said driven element for moving it intoengagement with said driving element,

of means for actuating said slidably mounted mechanism comprising alever, a mounting therefor on said shaft providing both a slidingmovement of said lever axially of said shaft and a rocking movementthereof about an axis at right angles to the axis of said shaft, meansadapted to rock said lever in timed relation to the movements of the layof the loom, means on said mechanism, including a mounting thereforadapting said means to move into a position to cooperate with said leverfor effecting an actuation of said mechanism by said lever when saidlever moves in one direction, and into a position out of cooperationwith said lever to prevent actuation of said mechanism thereby; andmeans Acooperating with said last mentioned means for holding the latterin a position out of cooperation with said lever.

HOWARD M. VAN ALSTYNE. WALTER BELL.

No references cited.

